What's the deal with fast-fret?

[Pbassred]

As a bass player I saw guitarists using this stuff decades ago.  I have an old can but its dried out.  I could get a fresh one and use it but....... Does it actually DO anything?  If its just mineral oil couldn't I just use that?  What about lemon oil that I use on my fret board?

[Dad3353]

I never use any of these stuffs on any of my guitars or basses; I haven't seen, in well over half a century, what benefit they bring. I do wipe my instruments over with a few drops of Dr Duck wax when I change strings (roughly annually, or longer...), just to remove any finger marks and lay the dust. Folk in other, harsher, climates may have different reasons and results, but our (French...) temperate climes don't affect my instruments in any way. Just my tuppence-worth. 

[randythoades]

On 06/01/2024 at 10:41, Pbassred said:

As a bass player I saw guitarists using this stuff decades ago.  I have an old can but its dried out.  I could get a fresh one and use it but....... Does it actually DO anything?  If its just mineral oil couldn't I just use that?  What about lemon oil that I use on my fret board?

It is really about feel. I used to use it a lot.

Effectively just coats your strings with a thin layer of lubricant (don't know what it actually comprises of though). I found it very helpful at one point as I get very hot hands and my fingers kept sticking. The fast fret just keeps things moving nicely and reduced finger squeak at the same time. But as I got older my dexterity reduced and my playing became less frenetic. I stopped using it and began to just wipe my strings with a cloth after every few songs and it did the same to remove the excess finger oil/sweat from the strings.

The issue mainly is that once you start you can't stop until you change strings as the residue of the fast fret feels really odd as if the strings are really dirty.

Certainly wouldn't dissuade you from using fast fret, you might really get on with it.